photo: Yaeji l credit: James Emmerman Last year was a big year for music, but I have a feeling that 2018 is going to be even better. Here are five musical acts you should be listening to in 2018. Feel free to leave artists like Lil Pump and Jake Paul in 2017 where they belong. Yaeji Yaeji is a Korean-American electronic music producer who is based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2016, she released her first single, "New York 93", and then in 2017 she released two EPs, Yaeji and EP2 . These releases helped her snag over 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Her dreamy vocals commonly drift back and forth between Korean and English while her beats walk the line between house and hip hop. Yaeji is extremely refreshing in a world of EDM bangers and sounds like the...

photo: Louis Hofmann in Netflix's Dark l Julia Terjung / Netflix Congratulations. We made it through the holidays! Now it is time to get back to what we do best, binge-watch Netflix . With so many shows now available, sometimes it can be difficult to find the best one for you. To save yourself from the perpetual Netflix scroll, check out these five awesome Netflix shows that you can stream right now. Black Mirror Black Mirror is back with their fourth season that is guaranteed to scare the hell out of you. Each episode, “USS Callister”, “Arkangel”, “Crocodile“, “Hang the DJ”, “Metal Head”, and "Black Museum” focuses loosely on a form of advanced technology. Whether it is a chip inserted in your child’s brain to help you track them or a dating app that tells you how long your relationship...

It’s hard to believe the holidays are already here. Before you mindlessly cruise the mall or the internet for all your gifts this year, check out this list for seven awesome presents to give the entertainment buff in your life. READER LOVER Kindle is the perfect gift for any book lover. This amazing piece of technology gives readers access to over a million books that all can be downloaded instantly from the Kindle app. The Kindle’s sleek design, built-in reading light, and no glare screen make it easy to enjoy a great book anywhere. ($119.99) THE BOOK LOVER With that Kindle or if your book lover has a different e-reader, they will need books to read and Audible delivers just that. For a limited amount of time, Amazon is offering Audible for $4.95 for the first three months of...

photo credit: Seattle Sounders FC Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know that our very own Seattle Sounders won the MLS Cup last year and this year they are well on their way to the MLS Cup Championship once again. Earlier this month the Sounders clutched a 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, granting them a guaranteed spot in the Western Conference Championship. They will play against the Houston Dynamo who defeated the Portland Timbers just a few days after Whitecaps match. The Sounders have already faced Houston twice this year with the first match resulting in a loss and the second in a victory. The Western Conference Championship will be a two-game aggregate-goal series, first taking place in Houston on Tuesday, November 21st and then in Seattle on Thursday, November 30th. Sounders fans will be...

Halloween is just around the corner. Do you embrace this holiday with spectacular costumes and decorations or are you the kind of person who decides to be a cat for the 3rd year in a row and passes out toothbrushes to trick-or-treaters? Whether you are obsessed with Halloween or completely indifferent, these five events in Seattle featuring cocktails, Dracula, zombies and much more are sure to get you in the Halloween spirit. Burke NiteLife: Creepy-Crawly Cocktails On October 20th, head to the Burke Museum for an up close and personal look at their massive collection of bugs, reptiles and more, all while chasing your fears and fascinations with delicious cocktails. Observe a variety of deceased critters preserved in jars as well as live ones that crawl and slither. Plenty of experts will be on-site to answer all your questions regarding...

photo credit: NBC Summer is finally coming to an end and fall is upon us. I hope you had plenty of time in the sun because it looks like the rain is finally back. Here are five fantastic returning shows you can cuddle up with during these cooler days and nights. So grab some snacks, blankets and your PSL or pumpkin beer and enjoy some quality television. This Is Us Break out your Kleenex because This Is Us is back on NBC September 26th. Last year, The Pearsons and the Big Three nestled their way into our hearts and did not let go. There are plenty of highs, lows, smiles and tears throughout the amazing story of this beautiful family. Season two is meant to pick up the morning after season one’s cliffhanger ending. I’m sure we can expect to...

photo credit: Bumbershoot 2017 Sofi Tukker consists of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. They made big waves with their first single “Drinkee” and the release of their 2016 EP, Soft Animals. Their sound is a unique blend of electronic, rock and more that makes for an exciting and engaging performance making them a perfect fit to join the North American leg of ODESZA’s A Moment Apart tour. I had the opportunity to sit down with Sophie and Tucker to hear their thoughts on being part of the tour and their views of Seattle. First of all, welcome to Seattle! You two played the Crocodile earlier this year in April. Besides this show have you spent much time in Seattle? Sophie: We as a band have only done that one show but I used to live in Victoria so I’ve come...

Since I was a child, Bumbershoot has been there for me. Whether it was George Clinton in 1995, Rise Against in 2004, Blue Scholars and Kanye West back to back in 2006 or Tame Impala in 2016, every Bumbershoot I’ve attended is special to me. This year is no different. For 2017, Die Antwoord, The Roots and Solange have all the glory. Honorable mentions include Chicano Batman, Sofi Tukker, The New Respects, Smokey Brights and ODESZA. Day one started with Chicano Batman at The Mural stage. This band had been on my radar since I watched their KEXP live performance a few months back. Their bright organ fueled Chicano psychedelia sound teamed with their ever positive lyrics immediately roped me in. On stage, they exploded with spirit and charisma. They left it all at The Mural and it was great...

If your life seems to be lacking some creativity lately, a trip to one of Seattle’s amazing museums could be just the thing you need. Here are 10 incredible exhibits now available for viewing in the Seattle area. Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors , June 30th - September 10th @ Seattle Art Museum photo credit : Seattle Art Museum (pictured above) Infinity Mirrors includes 5 Infinity Mirror Rooms, The Obliteration Room , where visitors can decorate the room’s furnishings with multi-colored stickers, and other fascinating works all by the creative genius Yayoi Kusama. The gorgeous colors and lights that encompass this exhibit will make you wish you could stay forever. On site tickets are still available on a first come, first serve basis. Electric Coffin: Future Machine , February 3rd - September 10th @ Bellevue Art Museum photo credit: Emilie Smith With...

Summer camps are a staple of any amazing childhood. You get a week away from your parents (or they get a week away from you), you make new friends, participate in exciting outdoor activities, step outside your comfort zone and to put it simply, have fun. As working adults, it can be difficult to take some personal time to unplug, relax and just have fun. Fun is essential to living. A life cannot be spent simply locked into a desk. So before your summer and your life slip through your fingertips, take some time for yourself and to remember what it feels like to be a kid again. Welcome to Camp Rahh What is Rahh? Rahh is a 21+ summer camp where adults can escape the work grind with a peaceful weekend free of technology, drugs and alcohol. The founders...

Photo credit: Rod Mar For three days, Pioneer Square went "Upstream." Over 25 stages featuring 300+ artists were spread out from CenturyLink Field to Occidental Park and beyond. In true Seattle fashion, we experienced some extremely questionable weather during Upstream Fest + Summit . But in between the clouds and downpours, we were blessed with a few fantastic sun breaks that made this fresh festival all the more special. Stages consisted of everything between humble street corners to elaborate set ups where loyal fans danced to the music of their favorite bands. This weekend I made the schlep to the main stage for amazing acts like Deep Sea Diver, Beat Connection, Flying Lotus and Shabazz Palaces, squeezed into clubs like the Comedy Underground for Thunderpussy and Dude York and watched Fauna Shade, Acid Tongue and Tangerine make the Buttnick Building...

Cover Photo by Zippy Lomax On August 21st, 2017, you have the tremendous chance of witnessing a natural phenomenon, a total solar eclipse. It has been nearly four decades since a total solar eclipse has been visible from the continental United States and this opportunity is not something to be squandered. If you are interested, there might be no better place to celebrate this event than Oregon Eclipse. This festival held in Antelope, Oregon will not only give you the best view of the eclipse on the west coast, but will also feature seven magical stages of music, workshops, yoga & dance classes, theatrical performances and massive art installations. Running from august 17th to the 23rd, Oregon Eclipse will be the highlight of your year. Oregon Eclipse will take place at Big Summit Prairie in the beautiful Ochocco National Forest....

We have entered a turbulent and troubling time in America. It’s becoming harder to separate the lies from the truth. It’s becoming easier to fear or even hate someone based on their race, religion or political views. You might feel upset, scared or maybe you don’t even know how to feel. In a world of alternative facts and fake news, these powerful works of literature might help you gain some perspective and open your mind. A little knowledge never hurt anybody. 1984 George Orwell’s 1984 tells the tale of Winston Smith. He lives in a time encompassed by perpetual war, intense government surveillance and public manipulation. His job in the Ministry of Truth is quite simple. He rewrites news articles to always reflect the all-powerful Inner Party’s interests. In this age even a thought against the leader, Big Brother, is...

We live in the digital age. Anything we want to know, see and listen to is just a click or finger swipe away. With everything so accessible, we are losing our patience as well as our ability to slow down, analyze and appreciate. But, as we strive for the future and push the envelope we commonly feel the need to revisit the old. This is especially true with music. In the past few years there has been a massive spike in record sales as well as the overall popularity of records. You could chalk it up to flannel wearing, granola eating hipsters cashing into a new fad but I believe it runs much deeper than that. This growing appreciation boils down to a new generation of music lovers understanding the ritual of listening to records, the respect every record requires...

Do you ever feel something unsettling about our technological advances or our growing dependence on technology? Do you like TV shows where every episode is roller coaster of eerie and mend bending situations? Then you will love Black Mirror . Every episode of Black Mirror stars an entirely different cast in a different setting. You could essentially put all three seasons on shuffle and not skip a beat. Besides technology, the only common themes shared in episodes are the feelings they invoke in viewers. Each episode is as beautifully horrific as the last, like a train wreck you can’t tear your eyes away from. The first episode of season 3 couldn’t be more relevant in this day and age. In this world, everything is controlled by your social media rating. If you get a lot of 5 star ratings then...

In the fourth and last feature of HBO’s documentary series at SIFF, we stepped into the lives of two massive stars, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. In the beginning, Bright Lights is lighthearted and pleasant. We meet Carrie Fisher at her Hollywood home and accompany her on a short walk to her mother’s. The two of them are best friends and yet couldn’t be more different. Carrie is almost always nursing a cigarette and cursing like a sailor while Debbie is this radiant older woman who is always dressed in her best. As the documentary progresses, we learn what growing up was like for Carrie and her brother, Todd. It is an experience that I think can be best described as empty. The two of them had everything they needed except for a regular childhood. And when your father runs...

There is always a great concert happening in Seattle. We should consider ourselves lucky that we don’t live in a tiny town where once every ten years a Guns & Roses cover band performs. Every month we have the chance to absorb some great music and this month is no different. Here are December's upcoming concerts any music lover shouldn’t miss. Deck the Hall Ball: Tuesday, December 6th @ Key Arena Once again, 107.7 The End’s Deck the Hall Ball returns to the Key Arena. Last year, we were graced with bands like Twenty One Pilots, Alabama Shakes and Cage the Elephant and this year is looking just as fine with headliners like Empire of the Sun, The Head and The Heart, Jimmy Eat World, Phantogram, Band of Horses and more. This holiday themed concert is the perfect way to...

In a time where virtual reality has truly become our reality, HBO takes it a few steps further with a reboot of the 1973 classic, Westworld . When you enter the new Westworld as a newcomer, anything is possible. You may gamble, visit a brothel, hunt outlaws, rob a bank, kill and do anything else your heart desires. And best of all, you can’t be harmed. You are God. For the androids or “hosts” who inhabit Westworld, it is an entirely different story. You are merely a brush stroke upon a canvas, a sentence in a book that can be enjoyed or destroyed depending entirely on the actions of the newcomers. You might be pampered one day then beaten the next or even worse, murdered. You are simply there to satisfy the customers in any way possible. But no matter...

There is really nothing quite like the Gorge Amphitheatre. Time and time again I am blown away by the incredible views as well as the crazy, happy and free people here. I think for this trip especially, my friends and I might have been among the craziest. It couldn’t have been a better day, which was nice because driving blind in a rainstorm for nearly two hours before we arrived had been extremely nerve racking. The sun shined down on us as we set up our tents, cracked some beers and settled into our campsite. After a while, we ate and began to plan our departure time. Word slowly got to us that a wind delay had pushed back the times and put a pause on entry for now. We could see the massive line of anxiously waiting guests from...

Last week I had the privilege to attend the HBO premiere of The Trans List and Mariela Castro’s March: Cuba’s LGBT Revolution last week at SIFF Cinema Uptown. HBO partnered with TWIST, the hosts of the Seattle Queer Film Festival , to put on this very special and important event. This premiere wasn’t exactly a ‘grab your popcorn and friends’ event but more like a ‘shut up, pay attention and learn’ event. Both of these documentaries were extremely eye opening and educational. First we saw Mariela Castro’s March: Cuba’s LGBT Revolution . Mariela Castro is the niece of the Fidel Castro. She is also the director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education as well as a proud activist for the LGBT community. During the documentary, Mariela took a lot of time to share the stories of LGBT people...